Reply To: The Land Before Time XX: Tale of a Spiketail
CHAPTER SIX: ORNI MEETS DUCKY
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Orni and her group snuck into the Cave of Many Voices that night. “Isn’t this the Great Valley, where there are a lot of Flatteeth of different kinds?” asked Otis.
“Yes, at least it’s not a Sharptooth Pack.” said Orni.
“Don’t mention Sharpteeth right now.” said Claudius. His voice echoed as he reached the echo room. “Hey, there’s a lot of me in here!” said Claudius, laughing. “Hello!” he said. His voice echoed back. “How are you?” he asked. His voice echoed back again. “I’d like to say that I….” he said.
WHACK! Orni shoved him over. “Imbecile! You are going to get us caught!” she snapped at him. A bunch of Orni voices echoed back, making Claudius even more frightened than he would have with just one voice, which was bad enough.
They heard someone coming. “Well, you’ve gotten us caught. Quickly, let’s go. And you can go last Claudius. If they are going to get one of us, it’s going to be you for your big mouth!” said Orni coldly. They all took off, Claudius trailing the rest of them.
“Hello, who is there? I will not hurt you, oh no, no, no.” came Ducky’s voice. it echoed throughout the place.
“Oh, that’s good, I thought you were one of them Flatteeth coming to…” said Claudius. WHACK! A rock, thrown by Orni, came and conked him in the head.
“You are so dumb!” groaned Orni. Claudius fell, the others leaving him behind.
“But Orni, he’s…” questioned one of the others. Orni glared at her. “He should be lucky that they aren’t Sharpteeth.” said Orni unfeelingly.
“Are you ok?” asked Ducky, seeing his silhouette.
“Yes, I’m fine.” said Claudius, still not sure what she was. “Don’t hurt me!” he pleaded.
“Oh, I will not hurt you. Oh no, no, no, I will not.” said Ducky. Claudius noticed that the Flattooth seemed to be kind. Maybe they would just chase him off and he’d escape bodily injury. He’d twisted his ankle before after being chased by irate Threehorns. He’d had to get out of there on his own that time, with no help from Orni of course.
Ducky laid eyes on Claudius. “Egg Stealer!” she yelled. Claudius saw that she was alone. Ducky turned to run to get the grownups. Claudius didn’t want others coming. He jumped on her and took her down to the ground. Ducky hit her head and was knocked out.
Meanwhile, Mama and Papa Swimmer could not find Ducky and it was getting late. “Her behavior is most unacceptable.” said Derrick, who was sore from being plowed over.
“I know, but she loves Spike. She cannot stand the thought of losing him.” said Papa Swimmer.
“Da-Ducky! Ducky!” Spike cried.
“We cannot find her tubby. Perhaps she doesn’t want to be found.” grumbled Derrick. Spike sighed at being called tubby. He went off looking for her, feeling bad about letting himself get overweight.
“Spike, come on, it’s getting dark. Ducky can just spend the night out there alone if she’s going to act like this.” said Ducky’s grumpy uncle.
“Come on now Phoebus, that’s really harsh. You should really lay up on a sad girl. Why I can recall how you behaved when we were at your cousin’s union ceremony and his mate was really reluctant to tie the knot. You went and said that she…” Ducky’s aunt began blabbing, per her usual self. They and the others went off to bed.
“Me worried about her.” said Petrie.
“Me too.” said Littlefoot.
“I hope she’s all right.” said Cera.
“You worry too much Cera.” said Tricia.
Meanwhile, Ducky came to. Orni and the others had come into the chamber at the request of Claudius. Orni told Claudius not to be seen.”Ah, what do we have here?” said Orni, coming next to Ducky.
“Where am I? Where did that Egg Stealer go?” asked Ducky, confused.
“Egg Stealer? Poor thing. You must have fallen asleep and had a bad Sleep Story.” said Orni sweetly.
Ducky wondered if she had indeed fallen asleep, for it was much darker out. They had taken her out of the echo room of the Cave of Many Voices. “My name is Ducky. I should be getting home now. I should. I should.” she said nervously, getting up. The others were ready to grab her to stop her, but Orni shook her head. They backed off, baffled.
“Ahh, what a cute thing you are.” said Orni, putting her face next to Ducky’s.
“Thank you…er…I think.” said Ducky very nervously.
“What should we do with her?” asked another Egg Stealer quietly to Orni.
Orni had thought of taking Ducky and throwing her off the Great Wall. After all, she might squeal. Orni stole eggs for a living. Knocking off a teenager wouldn’t bother her too much. However, she felt the faintest bit of pity for the poor Swimmer. The girl was cute and seemed really sweet. Sweeter than Orni had ever met. Also, killing the girl might bring trouble too. Orni decided her best bet was to win the girl to her side.
“You seem lost. It is nighttime.” said Orni.
“I am here to get away from that awful Derrick. He is my brother though I wish that he were not. And I am worried that I will lose my brother Spike. He is not really my brother but is a Spiketail. His aunt came and now I am worried that he will go with her and I will never see him again.” said Ducky, a tear in her eye. “What are you doing here?” Ducky asked suspiciously.
“Just looking around.” lied Orni.
“I should be getting back now. I should. I should.” said Ducky nervously. She was worried about what her family might be thinking.
“What should we do with her? She is a liability. I say we throw her into a gurgly pit or find a nice hungry Sharptooth or…?” whispered Otis to Orni. Orni shook her head. This confused the others, who knew that Orni was practically heartless. However, they had enough sense not to question her.
“Who are you?” Ducky asked Orni.
“My name is Orni.” said Orni.
“Aren’t you an Egg Stealer?” Ducky asked, for Orni looked like one.
“I don’t like eggs. I prefer other food.” replied Orni, a smile on her face. Orni rightly guessed that Ducky was gullible.
“Oh that is a relief. It is. It is.” said Ducky in relief.
“Having trouble with a pesky brother?” asked Orni.
“Yep, yep, yep, I am. I am. Derrick is the worst. He is. He is.” grumbled Ducky.
“Also, I heard you mention a Spiketail.” said Orni sweetly.
Claudius pinched himself. To see Orni act this sweetly seemed dreamlike. He wondered if she was up to something. Perhaps Orni planned to use Ducky. Claudius felt that Ducky was very sweet and thought it low of Orni to try and use her as a pawn. However, they wanted the eggs and Ducky might be their key to getting them.
“Yes, they might take him away from me.” said Ducky, tears dripping from her eyes.
“Aw, you poor dear.” said Orni, patting her on the back. “You and Spike could always run away.” suggested Orni.
“But I cannot survive in the Mysterious Beyond. Oh no, no, no.” said Ducky.
“You could. Orni would help you and Spike.” said Orni sweetly.
“We will?” asked Otis in shock. Orni kicked him out of Ducky’s line of sight. “Oh yeah, we will.” he said quickly, wincing in pain.
“Thank you.” said Ducky appreciatively. Ducky turned to go back home.
“Remember what I said. You can always come with me.” Orni called after her. Ducky left and went back home, lying down next to Spike and going to bed.
“You let her go.” whined Claudius.
“She doesn’t suspect us. And, if she leaves to go with us, we can have two captives. Plus, the little search for her will mean less attention on the nests.” said Orni.
Otis sighed. Orni was still her usual self. He kind of felt sorry for poor Ducky.
Ducky wondered how she could get Spike to stay. She recalled Orni’s offer to help her. She decided to go back and ask for help, so desperate was she.
Orni smirked and counted on her hands, moving down fingers. She had reached zero right as Ducky came into sight. “Told you.” she whispered to Prisci.
“Hello. I wanted to know what you could do to help with Spike. I do not want to leave the Great Valley and run away, but I do not want Spike to leave forever either.” said Ducky.
“Well dear, there could be a way. However, you’d have to break the rules.” said Orni.
“I do not know about this.” said Ducky uneasily.
“Look, you want to get rid of Spike’s aunt, don’t you?” asked Orni.
“Get rid of her? That is not a very nice thing to do! Oh no, no, no!” said Ducky.
“Do you want to keep your brother Spike or not?” asked Orni.
“I do. But Stella doesn’t seem so bad. And what could I do anyway? Stella wants to take him and mother said yes.” demurred Ducky.
“You’ve got to get your mother to not want to let Spike go with Stella.” Orni replied.
“How do I do that?” asked Ducky.
“You make her look bad.” Orni answered.
“I do not know. That does not seem very nice.” said Ducky skeptically.
♪ You have to do what is needed to get what you want.
Do all that you must
For in the grand scheme of things everything is just.
Whatever hesitation you have doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.
Just remember, the ends justify the means. ♪ sang Orni.
(To Be Continued)
